Cain Velasquez: lucha libre at the desert’s edge, and the forgotten sense of normalcy
It was all normal Cain Velasquez He returned to Arizona State University where he grew up.
Even if only true for one night, that’s a whopper of a sentence considering where Velasquez was four weeks prior as Day 252 turned into Day 253 behind bars – with no guaranteed end in sight.
The desert is now at its third day. Tempe, Arizona was the scene. Velasquez’s return to pro wrestling Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide. It all happened so fast and unexpectedly.
Although he was not initially invited, he later added to the event. $1 million bail allowance court-ruled work release locked him in as a late addition, and it’s a safe bet the promotion saw a surge in ticket sales.
It was unusually rainy for the desert that evening. But the rain didn’t keep the crowds away. Mullett Arena was already packed when I arrived just before the doors opened to the public. Many were hiding under the arena’s overhang in ponchos. Others accepted the rain and accepted that they would be wet.
The loud Mexican music blasted from the arena drowned out the sounds that beeped and booped ticket approvals when the doors opened. I tried to find my way through the maroon and yellow color themes.
A contest for beanbag prizes was hosted by a Spanish-speaking radio station’s emcee. One stand featured handcrafted Mexican jewelry, while another displayed a huge rack of lucha libre Masks.
Velasquez’s picture was front and center on the autographed posters. He was depicted as a big, suit-clad man among masked luchadors.
While there wasn’t additional Velasquez merchandise available for purchase, he was well represented. Danny Krpata was one of the Free Cain T-shirts. He bought tickets with Angel Salas, Jonathan Mejia and primarily wanted to see Velasquez.
Even though the focus was on fun, the larger battle continued to be in the back of many people’s minds, including Krpata’s.
“I think the criminal justice system is sincerely broken. What they’re doing to Cain right now is pretty sad to see,” said Krpata. “… This is a good start, but he needs to be free completely. He got time off to come here and do this event, but it’s still not enough.”
The lights dimmed at 7 p.m. Fans scattered from the single open food stand, much to relief of the workers at the concession stand who struggled to pass pizzas through the conveyor oven.
I have only a minimal level of Spanish proficiency, despite having taken four years of Spanish high school. That didn’t matter. I didn’t need to know the language to hear the passion the fans in attendance had for their heroes – and the villains.
All of the evening’s contests were tag-team matches. The evening began with Willie Mack, a large wrestler who delighted fans with his flips and athleticism. He also performed two impromptu, twerk-filled dance parties which were the end of the match.
The six wrestlers left the ring, and they headed down the ramp towards the back. Fans got a surprise first glimpse of the man they had come to see. Velasquez was backstage after the last match, and released nervous energy as he moved.
Vicente Fernandez’s “Los Mandados” blared throughout the arena, the longtime signature entrance song of the first Mexican-American champion in UFC history. To a standing ovation, Velasquez stepped out. He gave high-fives as he walked down the ramp and then climbed up the metal stairs to enter the ring.
He spoke to the crowd and thanked them for their support. His personal circumstances were never mentioned. He didn’t need to. The words weren’t as important as the sentiments. Everyone in the building understood what he had been through. There was a lot of support.
“Thank you. To be here in front of you guys, right now – it’s a dream come true,” Velasquez said when he addressed the crowd prior to his match. “I truly appreciate all that you guys have always done supporting me (and) my family. Thank you guys forever. Forever. My heart is glad to be here with all of you. I will continue fighting, for ever. Keep fighting. Forever. Thank you guys.”
Velasquez turned his head and raised one hand as he spoke. He extended his pointer finger, ring finger, and thumb – sign language for “I love you.” It’s the same sign Velasquez signaled in April, as he made one of his first court appearances following his arrest.
He was shackled and masked at the time. He was wearing an XXL jacket. He was directing it at his family. He was able to do it again without the use of chains.
Velasquez accepted his flowers with cheers, claps, and applause. The pro wrestling spectacles began moments later when Velasquez was attacked by U.S. flag waving Sam Adonis and Gringo Loco, as well as Black Taurus, a character disguised as a bull. Velasquez was saved by his tagteam partners Pagano Jr., Blue Demon Jr. and set up a six man tag-team match later that evening.
The match
Photo by Nolan King, MMA Junkie
It was finally time. First came the heels – the bad guys. The entrance musics began to sound one by one. Adonis was the ultimate evil, with his rotating entrance of Mexico being scored on at the World Cup, overlaid by troll emojis (and B-roll of his face chuckling),
After a long anticipation build, Velasquez was the last of the six to enter. Unlike his earlier entrance, Velasquez sported a black and gold mask that transformed him into “El Toro.” He walked down the entrance ramp and around the right side of the ring.
The most powerful greeting occurred when Velasquez reached the right corner away from the entrance ramp, where he embraced his friends and family, including his son, Cain Jr., the human axis of Velasquez’s motivation.
Velasquez made more more stop before entered the ring, and that was to kiss the hand of Marisela Peña, the Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide promoter who gave him a chance to be normal – even for the night.
For 25 minutes, the wrestlers ran and flipped, leapt, and slammed.
Velasquez seemed lighter than ever when he was on his feet. He didn’t seem to have any signs of rust, or that other wrestlers were being gentle on him. The only physical pseudo-crutch was the big, black brace on his left knee, a reminder of the skeletons of an MMA career’s past.
The last sequence
As the match rolled on, the sequences became increasingly “Cain-centric.” Velasquez aligned with the heel pack leader, Adonis, who promptly called Velasquez “a stupid b*tch,” which generated some oohs and aahs from those in attendance.
Velasquez’s wrestling move-set included many MMA nods, as exemplified by his double-leg takedown and ground-and-pound when Adonis whiffed on a clothesline attempt.
In a classic pro wrestling sequence, Adonis’ tag-team partners interfered and grabbed Velasquez’s leg. Velasquez was distracted and looked away when Adonis pulled out his American flag. He brought it into the ring, and then nailed Velasquez to the stomach. When Velasquez was still on the ground, the red, white, and blue pelted him in the back.
However, things looked grim for Velasquez. But he eventually rallied. Velasquez turned the tables and tried to lock in a kimura, a signature of his in the pro wrestling ring, but Adonis landed a low blow – an elbow “deep” punch to the groin. Again, Velasquez rose from the “brink” of defeat.
A reversal ended in a power bomb from the top rope and then …
“Uno … dos … tres!”
The crowd went crazy – as did Velasquez’s family and friends, including the little boy wearing white, Velasquez’s biggest fan.
Photo by Nolan King, MMA Junkie
Victories
When Pagano and Blue Demon Jr. raised Velasquez’s arms in victorious celebration, the sense of victory was far deeper than a pinfall, more than a three-count. The man who was incarcerated for 253 days wasn’t just out, he was winning – winning at life just being there.
As he reached the turnbuckle at the right-opposite end of the entrance ramp Velasquez again locked eyes. He gestured and pointed. He pointed and waved as Velasquez was in the spotlight. His attention was now on the boy wearing white.
It’s tradition in lucha libre for a luchador not to reveal his true face, to not take off his mask. However, the moment overtook the unwritten rule. This was the real deal. This was raw. Velasquez took to the microphone again and thanked the crowd – repeating himself a bit, though the emphasis understandable.
He took some time to reach the back. Velasquez made it a point to take every picture he could and sign autographs along the entrance ramp – so thoroughly that he was still making his way out as the main event match’s participants began their entrances.
In fact, Velasquez was bail out because of his supporters. Judge Arthur Bolcanegra’s November bail ruling centered around how loved Velasquez was by his community.
Velasquez made his way up the ramp and disappeared behind the scenes. He was left behind as the main event started. His moment in the spotlight was over.
Photo by Nolan King, MMA Junkie
Behind the curtains
To see Velasquez in action, I flew from Boston. I knew there was little chance that I would be able to talk to him but the promotion said otherwise. My gut feeling was finally confirmed. According to AAA, his team politely declined my interview request – and I totally get it.
I was, however, granted brief backstage access to talk to the other wrestlers – so I took AAA up on that offer because if I couldn’t hear directly from Velasquez how he was doing that night, maybe some outsiders who worked with him that week could paint an authentic picture of the man behind the scenes.
Blue Demon Jr. was one of Velasquez’s training partners. The 56-year old son of a Mexican wrestle legend has not revealed his name or face. He was still wearing his mask as he walked out of the locker room.
He spoke about the match and his feelings, but his demeanor changed when he spoke of Velasquez. Visibly, despite the blue mask covering his face.
“I’m very happy for him and very happy for his people,” Demon Jr. said, in a thick accent. “… I think Cain is a very special guy. He is a champion. He is an icon to the Mexican people. For people, it was very important that he came back.”
Adonis, a muscular man with long, blonde hair, was next to emerge. Outside of the ring, Adonis was the angry flag-waving villain troll. Adonis smiled ear to ear and told me how special it had been to be the foil for Velasquez. His passion was evident and every answer was filled full of appreciation. The bad guy from the ring might have been the guy you’d most want to grab a coffee or a beer with outside of it.
“Anybody that was here saw the ambience and realized it was a moment in time,” Adonis said. “People are going to remember that match more than a lot of matches they’re going to see. … (Velasquez) has always been so kind to me, even before tonight. Just being around him and being able to share that moment in time with him in the ring, in a weird way it’s an intimate experience. There aren’t many people you can go out in front of 5,000 people and fight with. You don’t come back from that.
“After the match, we came out and hugs we gave. He’s a sweet man. His son was present in the locker area. He’s just a dad. He’s just a good dude like everybody else is. It was cool tonight and it’s something I’m going to remember forever.”
Photo by Nolan King, MMA Junkie
A large group formed behind me as I wrapped up with Adonis. Velasquez was also there. It was a family affair, as it’s always been. There were friends, family, Velasquez’s agent and a hovering gentleman who appeared to be the court-mandated chaperone, though I can’t confirm for sure.
From the perspective of a total outsider, however, the legal issues seemed like a forgotten period in time – an afterthought, a different life. There was much laughter, congratulations, small talk, and even some family discussion about the best way to return to the hotel without getting wet.
It was a memorable night. As Adonis put it, it’s a night no one involved will forget. The larger battles were just around the corner but they were not visible or in the mind of the participants.
I continued to think about the night as I walked down the loading ramp, through the rain, and into my Uber. I couldn’t stop thinking about the finish.
I’m not sure if it was intentional, or if I’m just drawing symbolic comparisons out of a totally coincidental finish, but there was something poetic about the final back-and-forth. Velasquez was hit by the American flag, rallied, persevered and overcame the odds – all for his family.
The real-life ending hasn’t played out yet, but for Velasquez, it’s step by step, day by day, match by match. And right now, he’s on a winning streak.